This morning, as a 40-year veteran looking back on my career at REMAX, I found an old photo of myself up in a backyard treehouse, and it stopped me for a minute. That kid had no clue where life would lead.
I grew up in Silver Lake, Providence, with my two brothers, long before real estate entered the picture. Still, the roots of 40 years at REMAX were there, in hard work, family, and the lessons you learn outside.
Key Takeaways
- Early lessons from Silver Lake playgrounds, paper routes, farm work, and even a factory job under “Johnny” built a rock-solid work ethic and drive that propelled a top-producing career in residential real estate at REMAX.
- Sports and neighborhood life taught competition, respect, how to handle losses, and steady relationships—skills that carried through 40 years of navigating markets, clients, and fellow agents.
- Recognition for 40 years at REMAX celebrates consistency, honesty, and availability, with deep gratitude to founders Dave and Gail Liniger, as well as the company’s franchise rankings and global strength.
- Pride in REMAX’s support for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and its Hall of Fame status reflects a career rooted in service and purpose, and in still loving the work today.
- That backyard treehouse photo symbolizes a life journey from a kid chasing opportunity to a veteran agent, where hard work, family values, and gratitude still matter most.
Growing Up in Silver Lake Taught Me More Than I Knew
Silver Lake was an Italian neighborhood where everybody seemed to know everybody. We were outside all the time, and the Daniel Avenue playground felt like a second home.
Sports taught me more than winning. I learned how to compete, take a loss, show respect, and come back the next day. Those habits stayed with me.
Years later, they helped me stay steady when working with fellow real estate agents, navigating the real estate market over the decades, where trust is earned one relationship at a time.
Before Real Estate, I Learned How to Work
Before I ever thought about listings or closings, I learned how to get up and go to work. It started with a paper route, and that simple job taught me responsibility fast.
From a paper route to long summer days on the farm
Summers were for farm work. I picked tomatoes, string beans, corn, and whatever else needed doing. The lesson was simple: show up, do the job, and don’t complain when the day gets long.
Those long days built the agent productivity that later helped me become a top producer in residential sales.
When I answered Johnny, I was already chasing opportunity
I even took a factory job before I was old enough, using my older brother’s Social Security number. For a while, everyone called me Johnny. It still makes me smile, because even then, I was chasing a chance to work.
That same drive drew me to REMAX’s entrepreneurial culture and innovative business model, which perfectly matched my early hustle.
What 40 Years at REMAX Means to Me Today
Today, I received recognition for 40 years with REMAX, and that moment meant a lot to me. Time goes by fast, but the values that carry you don’t change.
That work ethic stayed with me through every market, every client, and every season of this business. I tried to be consistent, available, and honest, because people remember how you made them feel.
Today, I am grateful for the journey, the people, and the chance to still do what I love
I also feel grateful for the people I’ve met along the way, from founders Dave and Gail Liniger, who built REMAX’s Denver-based roots, to current leaders.
Real estate has given me friendships, purpose, and the chance to still love what I do after four decades with this top franchisor, ranked in the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 and the Franchise 500 Hall of Fame for another consecutive year.
Its brand strength shines in global real estate, luxury real estate, and international expansion, securing a strong market share among franchise brands and nods like the Swanepoel Power 200. Plus, our real estate brokerage’s support for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fills me with pride.
Recently, my wife, Jayma, and I were awarded the highest REMAX honor in Las Vegas: the REMAX International Distinguished Service Award.
When I look at that treehouse photo now, I don’t just see a kid in Silver Lake. I see the start of a life built on work, service, and gratitude.
That’s what carried me to 40 years at REMAX, and it’s still what matters most.
Frequently Asked Questions: REMAX 40 Years of Service
Silver Lake’s Italian neighborhood, the Daniel Avenue playground, and constant time spent outdoors instilled competition, respect, and resilience through sports and community. These habits directly translated to steady relationships with clients and agents over decades in real estate. Early jobs like paper routes and farm work hammered home the responsibility and hustle that made him a top producer.
It started with a paper route teaching responsibility, then long summer days picking tomatoes, string beans, and corn on the farm. He even took a factory job too young, going by “Johnny” with his brother’s Social Security number. That drive for opportunity perfectly matched RE/MAX’s entrepreneurial model.
The recognition plaque in the office marks a lifetime of consistency, availability, and honesty through every market and client. It’s gratitude for people met, from founders Dave and Gail Liniger to current leaders. It affirms a love of the work after four decades with a top franchisor.
REMAX’s Entrepreneur Franchise 500 and Franchise 500 Hall of Fame status, plus Swanepoel Power 200 nods, highlight its brand strength in global, luxury, and international real estate. Strong market share among franchises fills him with pride. Support for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals adds a deep purpose to the journey.
The faded photo of climbing into the backyard treehouse with brothers captures innocent roots in hard work and family lessons from Silver Lake. It now symbolizes the start of a purposeful life in real estate built on service and gratitude. That’s what carried me to 40 years at REMAX and still drives me.
